MIAMI — Corey Oswalt would have to wear glitter on his uniform to be considered flashy, but the rookie right-hander is getting enough outs to keep the Mets confident he can fit this rotation in some manner.
Saturday night he was long removed from the game by the time Bryan Holaday delivered a walkoff RBI double in the 11th inning against Jacob Rhame that gave the Marlins a 4-3 victory over the Mets. But Oswalt’s positives outweighed letdowns by an inconsistent lineup that has sputtered for much of the season.
Oswalt kept the Mets competitive by allowing three earned runs on six hits and one walk over six innings. It was a fifth straight start in which the rookie right-hander allowed three runs or fewer and lasted at least five innings.
In his past six starts Oswalt had pitched to a 3.94 ERA, mostly filling in for Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. But Syndergaard has returned to the rotation after a disabled list stint, and Matz is set to resume following two missed starts with arm discomfort. All indications are manager Mickey Callaway will now employ a six-man rotation that includes Oswalt, with an eye toward keeping everybody fresh.
“As long as [Oswalt] keeps on being deserving we have to consider it,” Callaway said, referring to the expanded rotation.
A defensive lapse may have sabotaged Oswalt’s shot at the win. In the fourth, the pitcher hesitated throwing to second on Brian Anderson’s comebacker, and the delay cost the Mets an inning-ending double play. The Marlins followed with two runs in the inning.
Oswalt said he became confused when Jeff McNeil approached second base following the Anderson comebacker; Amed Rosario was supposed to be the target. Oswalt ultimately threw to Rosario after the hesitation.
“It was just a little miscommunication,” Oswalt said. “I should have just thrown it.”
The Mets went the final seven innings without scoring, barely threatening the Marlins in the process. Their best chance came in the 10th on Wilmer Flores’ two-out double, but after Michael Conforto was intentionally walked, Brandon Nimmo was retired.
Rhame entered following two scoreless innings in relief by Tyler Bashlor and allowed a leadoff single to Miguel Rojas in the 11th. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner before the pinch-hitter Holaday ended it.
J.T. Realmuto’s RBI single in the fifth against Oswalt had tied it 3-3. Rafael Ortega drew a two-out walk to extend the inning.
Todd Frazier ripped a bases-loaded double against Dan Straily in the third that scored all three runners. Nimmo’s walk was a key play in the inning, after plate umpire Ed Hickox appeared to miss a called third strike. Flores doubled to begin the rally before Conforto and Brandon Nimmo walked in succession.
